Yesterday, Apple was awarded a new patent for a “flexible battery pack” that could be used to power the rumored iWatch or even a flexible iPhone. The patent describes how a series of batteries could attach together and “be shaped to fit a form factor of the electronic device,” without specifying what device in particular that might be.

Cupertino is reportedly hard at work on the company’s first smartwatch, rumored to be called the iWatch, with trademarks for the name popping up around the world in the past few weeks. Of course, a computerized wristwatch will require a new type of battery, and this patent suggests Apple may be even closer to releasing the rumored device than we expected.

It’s also possible that the flexible battery design could be destined for Apple’s first bendable smartphone, which is likely even further away from release than than the iWatch. While the technology for bendable screens has been around for a while now, we won’t see a flexible smartphone until companies can create flexible batteries, silicon and the rest of the components that make your handset work. We’re likely still years away from the final product, but a flexible battery is a step in the right direction.